A COVENTRY community centre has won more than #6,000 to expand childcare provision during the summer holidays.

A before-and-after-school club already runs at St Barnabas Family Centre in Cromwell Street for pupils from Stanton Bridge Primary School.

Now, thanks to the extra #6,302, people from across the city will be able to book holiday club places for their children for the four weeks after July 23.

Maureen Flick, who helps to run the child-care scheme, said: "We are really pleased to have this money to expand our provision. We already work in partnership with Stanton Bridge school and take pupils before and after school.

"Now we will be open during the summer holidays for children from across the city whose parents might be working or on training courses.

"We will be providing a safe environment for the children so that parents can drop them off and be assured that they are being well looked after."

The money has come from the Coventry Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership as part of a consortium bid to the New Opportunities Fund.

It will pay for carers' salaries, revenue costs and activities such as visits to parks and wildlife centres.

Parents can book children in for whole days or part days for any number of weeks.

A fee is payable and the scheme is open only to children aged four to 11.